Photo By Staff Sgt. Ruth McClary | 1st Lt. Jason Hickman, of Greenville, W.Va., proudly holds Noor Hassam Oudah, during a...... read more read more
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BAGHDAD, Iraq — At first glance she looked like a healthy baby girl, but to Noor Hassam Oudah, known as "Baby Nourah," a glimpse was non-existent until U.S. Soldiers, family members and friends removed all obstacles to give her the chance for a glance at life.
Soldiers of Troop C, 150th Armored Reconnaissance Squadron, 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, were invited to a small celebration, Dec. 9, hosted by Baby Nourah's family in appreciation for setting up and covering expenses for the baby's eye surgery, Nov. 15; three days after her first birthday.
The one year old was born blind with congenital cataracts. The condition is reversible with surgery, but out of reach to a family living in Baghdad. The city's hospitals lack the facilities and physicians to perform the procedure.
"I was very pleased to be able to do something for this family," said platoon leader, 1st Lt. Jason Hickman. "They have been very hospitable. It has truly been a pleasure to be able to help Nourah. I was relieved and very pleased that everything fell into place considering all the obstacles that we faced."
For Hickman, it seems as if things fell into place right from the start. He said that if there were ever a more perfect example of divine intervention, it happened on a dark road about five months ago when a convoy made a wrong turn and ended up in Zwaynat, a small village southwest of Baghdad.
Baby Nourah was there visiting with her uncle, Muhameed Gharbi Sultan, who spoke with Hickman; informing him of the baby's plight for sight.
"So there we were at a place we hadn't intended on being," said Hickman. "Wrong turn, perhaps, but that's not how I see it. My interest and contacts with the Order of Saint John, the wrong turn, her being there with her uncle instead of with her parents in Baghdad, no, not a coincidence."
According to their website, the Order of St. John is a major international charity, accredited to the United Nations, whose organizations provide first aid, health care and support services in over 40 countries around the world. The Order's charitable work is carried out by the St John Eye Hospital in Jerusalem. The Order of St John traces its origins back 900 years to the Knights Hospitaller from whom St John today derives its inspiration and maxims — Pro Fide Pro Utilitate Hominum, 'For the Faith and in the Service of Humanity.'
"I don't believe in the traditional sense of the word destiny, but I do believe that God puts people in certain places at certain times," said Hickman. "Things don't happen solely by coincidence. All you have to do is look for the road signs."
"The signs were clear; so I sent some emails and that's how we arrived here," he said.
Once Nourah was diagnosed, Hickman emailed St. John's Jerusalem Eye Hospital, the main provider of eye care in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, and a cause he has contributed to in the past.
Through contact with Ruth Ann Skaff, the U.S. Executive Director of the Priory of St John's, Hickman was referred to Dr. Mehyar, of the al-Khalidi Medical Center in Amman, Jordan, where the procedure was performed.
They created a plan for Nourah and Hickman emailed his family and asked for donations from Soldiers of the brigade. Family and friends from his hometown of Greenville, W. Va.; Belmont, W. Va., where he grew up; and St. Marys, W.Va., were the main contributors of the $5,000 needed to help Nourah.
From that point on he was determined to help her, even in his darkest hour Hickman thought of Nourah.
"Lieutenant Hickman's father passed away as we were working out all the details for Nourah," said Staff Sgt. Travers Brake, of Elkins, W. Va., who took over the campaign while Hickman was on emergency leave. "He asked for the guys in the platoon to give donations to Nourah in lieu of sending flowers. Now that's special."
Many emails and meetings later led to the celebration where Hickman, who didn't get a good look at Nourah that first night, finally was able to hold the baby he introduced to the brigade and a lot of caring people back in W.Va.
Dressed in a plush pink puppy dog snow suit, accessorizing a yellow and pink hat and little yellow rimmed glasses, baby Nourah made her rounds at the celebration; oblivious to her stardom. She looked around, waved and stared at some of the people instrumental in giving her such a special gift.
Nourah's paternal grandfather, Oudah Ghardi Sultan al-Jubori, said she has to go back for a check up in a month and she has to wear glasses for five years; a small sacrifice for a lifetime of imagery.
"We are very grateful to you," said al Jubori. "At one time [Iraqi's and U.S. Soldiers] could not sit and talk like this [without wearing armored vest and helmets], now we are very close. You should visit more. Please come back and visit before you go back to the states."
Hickman, Brake and the elders of Nourah's family shared a traditional Iraqi meal together, drank chai tea and talked late into the evening; laughing and joking like old time acquaintances.
Since the operation, family members said she crawls, grabs for things and follows hands, fingers and objects that are placed in front of her. Baby Nourah, with her big pouty cheeks and little cherry lips, now quietly absorbs her surroundings and responds at will.
"The Lord may not push you around the board like a pawn, but every now and again he puts you where he wants you," said Hickman. "We were supposed to end up in Zwaynat that night, it was just up to us what we were going to do when we got there."
| Date Taken: | 12.09.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 12.12.2009 07:45 |
| Story ID: | 42667 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 10,650 |
| Downloads: | 10,608 |
This work, W. Va. Soldiers, families fund Iraqi baby's journey for sight, by SSG Ruth McClary, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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